A Ryanair flight departing from Manchester to Corfu was diverted to Bologna, Italy, on 29 April due to disruptive behaviour from two passengers. The Boeing 737 took off at 5:30 PM and was scheduled to arrive in Corfu at 10:40 PM, but the crew had to alter the flight path mid-journey as disturbances escalated.
Upon landing in Bologna, police were summoned to handle the situation, removing the two disruptive individuals from the aircraft before it resumed its journey to Corfu. Consequently, passengers arrived at their destination at approximately 1:47 AM local time, which was about three hours later than initially planned.
Reports indicate the disruptive behaviour included an altercation between the two individuals, who had initially been seated apart but later changed seats to sit together. Footage captured from the plane shows a woman being escorted off by police while appearing to resist their efforts.
A spokesperson for Ryanair confirmed the incident, stating: “This flight from Manchester to Corfu was forced to divert to Bologna after two passengers became disruptive onboard.” They further highlighted the airline's commitment to maintaining a safe environment, asserting a "strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct".
This incident follows a similar disruption involving a Ryanair flight from Agadir, Morocco, to Manchester, which was diverted to Faro, Portugal, due to a passenger exhibiting unruly behaviour. Following the diversion, passengers were stranded overnight when the airline was unable to secure a replacement aircraft, a situation exacerbated by a subsequent technical issue. Ryanair DAC Chief Executive Eddie Wilson expressed frustration over the handling of that disruption, labelling the situation “utter bull****”.
The aircraft in question operates under Ryanair UK, a subsidiary established post-Brexit for routes outside the EU. As part of the operational framework, the UK Civil Aviation Authority mandates that UK airlines maintain a specified number of UK-registered aircraft for their scheduled flights. The CAA noted that Ryanair had only allocated 15 of the necessary 18 aircraft for its UK operations, which contributes to a higher risk of disruptions for passengers.
A spokesperson from the UK Civil Aviation Authority commented on the need for robust contingency planning among UK operators to minimise passenger impacts when flights are grounded, highlighting Ryanair's awareness of this operational landscape.
Source: Noah Wire Services